Galway City, Baile na Sruthán (the city of streams)

Water helped elevate Galway city into a global hub for trade, expanding its influence around the world. 

Inspired by the #WaterWiseEU campaign, our goal at the Galway Atlantaquaria was to learn more about the sources of water in Galway, and showcase the beauty of our rivers, lakes, canals, and waterfalls. 

We travelled many miles outside of Galway to discover the sources of lakes and waterfalls that eventually feed our own local rivers.

We found some truly amazing sights, like glacial lakes, hidden waterfalls and diverse habitats, learning so much about the unique geology that purifies our freshwater systems. This experienced helped us live the campaign's motto, and See Water Differently.

Ironically, the Aquarium also noted that we have tended to focus more on the sea, so taking inspiration from the campaign to remind ourselves of the importance of freshwater stories was a fulfilling experience. 

After collecting photos, images, and insights, we were able to create a visual story of Galway through the lens of See Water Differently, and used this information to develop three photo visual brochures and a selection of Youtube videos that showcase freshwater fish species, threats to marine life, marine litter, infographics, and freshwater science activities. 

We also compiled three blogs, which can be accessed below;

https://nationalaquarium.ie/seewaterdifferently/

https://nationalaquarium.ie/canal/

https://nationalaquarium.ie/waterfall/

“This See Water Differently Campaign has thaught us so much about the value of freshwater. For many years the Aquarium has focused all its resources on the ocean, and this campaign revealed the need to provide a more detailed and balanced report on all water bodies.”

At the conclusion of our contribution to the See Water Differently Campaign, we developed a walking history map of a section of river in Galway City and invited the public to join us on a river walk. Additionally, Galway Atlantaquaria created a unique freshwater story map of the city, which will play a key role in future marine litter and ocean literacy campaigns. 

This project has deepened our understanding of freshwater’s vital role. By sharing these stories, we hope to inspire others to appreciate and protect all water sources, contributing to a more water-resilient Europe.

#WaterWiseEU campaign 

This story has been submitted by a partner of the #WaterWiseEU campaign. The EU-wide campaign focuses on water resilience, aiming to change the way we see, use and value water. Find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved.